


Sanders Sides React To: Kingdom Hearts

by Kerriathechosen1



Series: Sanders Sides Reactions [4]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Dark Humor, Family, Family Bonding, Family Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Game: Kingdom Hearts I, Humor, Reaction, Sympathetic Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Sympathetic Deceit | Janus Sanders, Sympathetic Sides (Sanders Sides), kingdom hearts - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-23
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:41:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25447804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kerriathechosen1/pseuds/Kerriathechosen1
Summary: The sides play, watch, and react to the video game "Kingdom Hearts."
Series: Sanders Sides Reactions [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1735882
Comments: 6
Kudos: 17





	Sanders Sides React To: Kingdom Hearts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> {Hi, everyone! Quick important notes here before you read.
> 
> 1\. I have absolutely no idea whether I did the right coding for the pictures to appear on this story! So if you don't see any pictures whatsoever, or see something that seems off (other than spacing -- I'll make adjustments in the future), please let me know in the comments! If I haven't done it right, the first chapter will be edited as soon as I know how.
> 
> 2\. Let me know whether the pictures enhance the story for you, or whether I should use more or less of them. It was honestly a huge pain to incorporate as many as I did, so I want to know they actually did something and are appreciated. There's a future gameplay story happening that WILL need screenshots, though, so there's a reason I incorporated them now, as a sort of test run. This story will be highly experimental format-wise, so bear with me.
> 
> 3\. This is like a pilot episode! Because of how much effort it took to get the screenshots taken and this much written for the prologue alone, it's going to take a long time before the next chapter is posted, so don't expect another within the next month or so. I will be working on the chapters in the meantime, but they won't be ready for a while.
> 
> 4\. I may not have the sides go through all the Kingdom Hearts games, but I do want to at least go through Kingdom Hearts 2 after this, if there is enough interest. Either way, that won't be for a year or so. I have way too many projects going on... (Help me.)}

**{Link to channel where I took screenshots of the gameplay:** [ **https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxmUy21m9v6a8Mon9hcw0-g/featured** ](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxmUy21m9v6a8Mon9hcw0-g/featured) **}**

“... So, what are we watching, again?” Patton tilted his head to the side.

“Only the greatest collaboration between Disney and Square to have ever transpired!” Roman answered excitedly, raising his Kingdom Hearts-themed mug high in the air, causing the hot chocolate inside to lap the cup’s inner walls.

Virgil frowned. “... Uh, Princey… I don’t know much about Square, but… I’m pretty sure there’s a very small list of collaborations they’ve done. Disney and Final Fantasy don’t exactly mix.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, my dark knight!” Roman retorted with a grin. “You’ll see!”

Janus raised an eyebrow. “I’m not sure I trust your judgement, Roman. After all, you told Patton he would love watching ‘After Ever After.’”

“Yeah, even  _ Remus  _ is enthusiastic about this!” Virgil waved his hands emphatically.

“I hear you!” Remus shouted from the kitchen, where he and Logan were making the popcorn and milkshakes. (Or, where Logan was making everything and Remus was providing moral support.)

“That should be enough to tell you something’s wrong about all this!” Virgil continued, ignoring the interjection.

“C’mon, kiddos, let’s be open-minded about this!” Patton, always the optimist, smiled brightly. “What’s this game series all about, Roman?”

“Kingdom Hearts is about friendship, the struggle between light and darkness--”

“All right, I’m out,” Janus deadpanned. Remus -- who no one had even seen enter the room -- tackled him from behind, latching his arms around him like an octopus.

“No you’re not!” he yelled. “Family Game Night!”

“This isn’t a multiplayer game, though is it?”

“No! But who cares?!”

“Well, I don’t know about you guys, but any game centering around friendship is a good game in my book!” Patton chirped. “Logan, you doing all right in there? Need a helping hand?”

“Several,” Logan replied, coming back into the room with six peanut butter shakes balanced on a tray. Patton and Roman ran into the kitchen to help grab the snacks. Remus dropped down on the floor, lying on his stomach and groaning in boredom.

All of the sides were on the couch, except for Roman and Remus, who sat on the floor beside the controller. Virgil was as far to the left side of the couch as he could go while still having a good view of the screen, presumably so he could keep an eye on everyone. Roman whipped up a firm cup holder that Virgil sat on the seat to the right side of his feet, between him and Patton, who shared it. Janus sat beside him with his right leg crossed over his left, sipping his drink in a refined manner, after he’d taken it from Logan with a slight nod of his head as thanks. Logan’s spot was on his right, taking up the last seat on the couch, and they had a cup holder between them as well.

When Roman and Patton returned, a bag was plopped onto Remus’s back, and the other two were handed to Virgil and Janus. Logan noticed Roman and Remus had a large tote bag of red and green alternating stripes sitting on the floor by the game console, and wondered what could be inside.

Roman sat criss-cross on the floor and glanced around the room once everything was set up. All of the sides were dressed in their pajamas and surrounded by plentiful pillows and blankets. All that was left to do was start the game.

“Shall we begin?” Roman asked, a polite charm in his tone.

“Go ahead,” Janus replied with a sigh. Roman turned on the tv and turned on the console.

“Have any of you even played this game before?” Virgil asked. Logan, Patton, and Janus shook their heads. Virgil groaned -- he wasn’t sure he was ready for… whatever this was going to be. All he knew was, both brothers seemed pretty excited for it -- Roman more so than Remus, as he didn’t even have to wrestle his twin for the remote. It was strange for them to agree on liking something, but perhaps that was because of their fondness for Disney. All of Thomas’s sides loved Disney… albeit in different ways.

“I have!” Remus exclaimed, raising his hand.

“We know  _ you two _ have.”

“Lights out!” Roman exclaimed, snapping his fingers, and suddenly the entire room was flooded in darkness. Virgil shifted so he was sitting on the balls of his feet, and quickly urged his eyes to readjust to the light. He felt Patton flinch beside him and grasp for his hand. Virgil’s gut instinct was to pull away, and he started to. Then he reminded himself that Patton was just as scared as he was, if not more -- Virgil liked the darkness, once he was used to it, but Patton did not.

Hesitantly, he took Patton’s hand in his. Patton squeezed, comforting them both, as the screen began to show the typical logos and pre-game credits.

“This is a Playstation 2 game, so keep in mind that the graphics aren’t… exactly the best,” Roman warned. “But that doesn’t take away from the vibrant charm!”

“Yeah, it looks  _ real  _ charming,” Virgil drawled.

“You haven’t even gotten to the title screen!”

“I dunno, I’m on Roman’s side with this one,” Patton admitted with a shrug. “Old games do have a charm that newer games tend to… lack.”

“That’s just the dad in you speaking,” Virgil mumbled.

“Yep!” Patton grinned proudly. Virgil sighed, the tension seeping out of his muscles.

After cycling through the company credits, the title screen finally arrived, showing a teenage boy standing on the beach with water rolling up past his shoes, with the title, “Kingdom Hearts” at the top. Roman squealed in excitement as the gentle piano music began to play.

[ **https://youtu.be/g25QXnhVijQ** ](https://youtu.be/g25QXnhVijQ) **{Dearly Beloved, Kingdom Hearts original title screen}**

“Oh,” Patton sighed. “This is nice.”

“Calmer than I expected,” Virgil agreed, allowing the music to wash over him soothingly, much like the gentle waves on an evening shore.

“Are there any questions before we begin?” Roman asked.

“Is it scary?” Patton asked hesitantly.

“Of course not!” Roman replied. “Kingdom Hearts, as I mentioned earlier, is a tale of friendship--” The other sides relaxed. “-- the strong bonds that lie within our hearts, and the war between the light and the darkness!” Tension suddenly swept over the couch, as memories of the “light” and “dark” sides rekindled in their minds.

“So, how is the darkness depicted?” Janus asked. Roman opened his mouth to respond, then faltered as he realized his answer wasn’t going to please him. Janus rolled his eyes. “I retract my question. Let’s just begin, why don’t we?”

Roman brightened. “Will do, Nagini!”

“Never call me that again.”   
“Yeah, that wasn’t my best…” Roman selected the New Game option.

“Oh, I love those sound effects,” Patton exclaimed upon hearing the selection sound.

“It  _ is  _ a very fun sound.”

“Normal... or  _ Expert _ ?” Remus asked tauntingly. He was lying on his back so he viewed the screen upside down.

“You don’t think I can do Expert?” Roman retorted, hovering over the harder difficulty.

“Pick Normal, for our sakes,” Janus sighed. “Considering that this is an RPG, anything more difficult certainly means grinding. And we aren’t interested in hours of grinding.”

“Oh, you sure about that, scales?” Remus teased, his eyebrows wiggling. “I recall differently.”

“Why do I tolerate you?” drawled the deceitful side.

“Select vibration setting?” Patton asked, confused at the next menu.

“The vibration should  _ always  _ be on!” Roman stated firmly.

Remus cackled. Janus immediately waved a hand, causing Remus’s hands to shoot up and cover his mouth before he could make any lewd comment. He whined but no one paid him any mind.

[ **https://youtu.be/euY41sRuJ9g** ](https://youtu.be/euY41sRuJ9g) **{Simple and Clean, Kingdom Hearts opening}**

[ ](https://ibb.co/PZhwcs8)

[ ](https://ibb.co/hVLRPgz)

  
  
  


Sora’s character appeared on the screen in a close-up. “There’s our lovable protagonist!”

**“I’ve been having these weird thoughts lately.”**

“... Like what?” Virgil questioned, sounding unnerved. Remus made a sound under his hand like he wanted to add something, but Janus didn’t let him off the hook just yet.

**“Like, is any of this for real… or not?”**

“Does our protagonist have schizophrenia?” Janus asked tiredly. “Or is he simply on drugs?”

Roman sputtered. “He’s fourteen!”

“Doesn’t mean a thing.”

Roman stood up straight, his voice crying out defensively. “Sora has a pure heart!”

Janus raised an eyebrow. “So?”

Then, the opening music sequence began. All the sides quieted in appreciation for the music.

“Utada Hikaru is a queen,” Roman stated.

[ ](https://ibb.co/2FVvqHV)  
[ ](https://ibb.co/FmzkbFq)

  
  
  


“Ohhh, this is really pretty,” Patton exhaled, watching as Sora fell through the water. Suddenly, Sora’s eyes opened in time with the music, and he was standing on the beach at the edge of an island. A small waterfall was behind him, running into a tiny pool. There was plenty of greenery, but also a treehouse and a shabby little hut; Janus deduced that this was the main character’s home, or a place near his home.

[ ](https://ibb.co/Rv8msnb)

  
  


“His shoes are enormous,” Logan pointed out. Virgil snorted. “And his hair is abnormally spiky.”

“Shhhh,” Roman hissed.

“Does he need that many zippers?” Virgil asked.

“SHHHHH!!!”

“I like how upbeat this music is!” Patton exclaimed.

The camera panned out, showing a silver-haired boy standing in the water.

“Riku!” Roman exclaimed helpfully.

Sora stepped forward and lost sight of his friend for a moment, before Riku suddenly appeared again in his vision in the exact spot he had been in.

“Is this supposed to be symbolic of something?” Logan wondered aloud.

“I dunno, you’ll have to find out,” Roman replied sneakily.

“I like this Riku’s design,” Janus smirked.

A huge wave suddenly built up in the distance, growing closer and closer to the silver-haired boy by the second. Riku was facing the water and must have noticed, but he didn’t seem alarmed whatsoever, even though the water was several feet higher than him and rising by the second. Instead, he turned to face the protagonist, extending his hand with a smug look on his face.

  
  


[ ](https://ibb.co/yY2vPby)

“He’s  _ definitely  _ not evil,” Janus drawled. Roman took a pillow and slapped him with it, almost knocking his hat off.

Sora rushed forward toward his friend, but the wave knocked him down. He was thrown spinning under the water, but Riku remained reaching out to him without an ounce of concern.

[ ](https://ibb.co/VBmq7XR)

  
  


Sora struggled to swim forward but the current sent him backwards. When he ended up surfacing, the sun looked about to set, in contrast to how it seemed high in the sky when he went under. Riku was nowhere to be seen.

Instead, there was a skinny girl with short red hair and equally large shoes standing on the beach and calling out to him. They waved back and forth and he hurried towards her.

“When you walk away, you don’t hear me say~” Roman started singing.

“Love interest,” Virgil stated.

“A terrible one,” Remus replied.

Patton jumped to her defense. “She looks nice!”

[ ](https://ibb.co/rGsYtVx)

  
  


Sora grinned and the girl laughed behind her hand. Something suddenly caught her eye, and she gazed up at the sky in wonder. Sora looked up as well and saw a body falling from the sky. It only took a few moments to realize that the person falling was him.

[ ](https://ibb.co/nQdWxn1)

  
  


“It’s him?!”

[ ](https://ibb.co/h7StVjv)

  
  


Suddenly, Sora began to fall backwards, and Kairi reached out for him. He was suddenly falling from the sky down to the ocean below. The sky where Kairi stood suddenly rippled like water, and then the screen focused on Sora falling again, this time through the water like in the beginning of the intro.

[ ](https://ibb.co/qdyR1b3) [ ](https://ibb.co/pzcRp2h) [](https://ibb.co/vLDkL8P)

  
  
  
  


Virgil blinked. “What’s the age group for this game? This is the kind of stuff that gives people existential crises.”

[ ](https://ibb.co/cJX915q)

  
  


Sora landed on his feet on some sort of platform, his world surrounded by darkness. He took a step, and suddenly doves flew from the platform, causing it to light up and show that he was standing on a round Snow White-themed panel. The music ended there, and there was a switch from cutscene to gameplay.

[ ](https://ibb.co/VCzj879)  
[ ](https://ibb.co/YhFPmmj)  
[ ](https://ibb.co/vkPNknf)  
[ ](https://ibb.co/QjLFtvv)

  
  
  
  
  


Roman gripped the controller and addressed the couch. “All right, I’m playing for now! You guys let me know if there’s somewhere you wanna go or someone you wanna talk to.”

“Question!” Patton raised a hand. “Where did Remus get those donuts?”

Roman looked down at his brother and noticed he had an open box of the Tastykake mini chocolate donuts. Roman gasped in horror. “Remus! That was supposed to be evenly split!”

Remus just shrugged and plopped another donut in his mouth. “You see,  _ Roman _ , you forgot that I don’t  _ care _ ,” he said while chewing. Roman turned away in disgust and pulled the box over to his right side.

**So much to do, so little time… Take your time. Don’t be afraid.**

“Who is saying this?” Virgil asked. “Is he just hearing voices? You sure he’s all right, Roman?”

“Yes!” Roman responded defiantly.

**The door is still shut.**

“... Door?”

“The Door to Darkness!” Remus chirped.

Virgil sighed. “That doesn’t explain anything.”

Janus shifted uncomfortably. He didn’t like this “light vs darkness” theme the game was currently setting up.  _ ‘Don’t be afraid. The door is still shut.’ _ It just called back to too many memories of being repressed by the other sides… and of repressing the others in turn.

**Now, step forward. Can you do it?**

“Tutorial time, I suppose,” Logan said.

[ ](https://ibb.co/qpVyCjh)

  
  


After Sora walked forward a little, three podiums rose up from the floor of the platform he was on. A black and red shield with a Mickey Mouse symbol hovered over one.

**Power sleeps within you.**

A wand appeared over the other, with a blue Mickey Mouse symbol at the top and a green base.

**If you give it form…**

A standard sword with a blue and gold hilt appeared over the last one.

**It will give you strength.**

**Choose well.**

[ ](https://ibb.co/sydhSkd)

  
  


“... We’re choosing the sword, right?” Roman asked.

“Why not the shield?” Virgil asked, but then the twins glared at him, and he held up his hands in defeat. “All right, whatever.”

“This is what all the smart people do,” Remus stated.

“You have no right to talk about intelligence,” Virgil sneered.

Patton frowned. “ _ I _ would have gone with the shield.”

“I would have gone with the staff,” Janus mumbled. Ignoring him, Roman picked the sword.

  
  


[ ](https://ibb.co/xXJ1dvj)

**Now, what will you give up in exchange?**

“Give up?!” Virgil grimaced. “It never said you had to-- Give up the staff.”

“Virgil’s being aggressive today,” Janus teased.

“But magic could be useful,” Logan pointed out. “I’m not sure how balanced this game is, but--”

“Magic is OP,” Remus replied.

“... My point stands.”

“All right, giving up the shield, it is!” Roman sang cheerfully. Virgil grumbled to himself as the game continued; the Princess platform Sora was standing on shattered into pieces and he went falling further into the darkness.

[ ](https://ibb.co/LhJyPdm)  
[ ](https://ibb.co/0YXL3Z2)  
[ ](https://ibb.co/7pnp8M1)

  
  
  
  


Eventually he landed on a Cinderella platform, where the sword appeared in his hands, and the game led him through the fighting segment of the tutorial.

“This is an interesting way to do a tutorial,” Janus admitted. “But does it serve a purpose to the plot, other than being attention-grabbing?”

Roman froze as he considered the question. “... Uhhh…”

“Sorta?” Remus answered quizzically. The other sides, save for Patton, face-palmed.

Roman defeated the required number of Heartless on the screen and darkness swallowed up the platform, as well as Sora.

[ ](https://ibb.co/wMsfSp6)  
[ ](https://ibb.co/7X75LdH)  
[ ](https://ibb.co/PcFSxB6)  
[ ](https://ibb.co/nRJvf5m)

  
  
  
  
  


He found himself on a third platform, which was colored in mostly pink, light blue, and white, with no princess design the sides knew of. There was also a large, faded door standing on the edge of the platform.

“This game certainly has style,” Janus allowed.

After following the tutorial, Sora was able to open the door, which transported him to an island, where three children were standing around on a wooden platform in the air.

  
  


[ ](https://ibb.co/h7Mzc34)

**Hold on. The door won’t open just yet.**

“What happens when the door opens?” Patton asked nervously. The tone of the game had shifted a lot from the jovial music sequence.

“You’ll see,” Remus grinned mischievously. Roman didn’t say anything.

  
  


[ ](https://ibb.co/QcKjqv9)

**First, tell me more about yourself.**

“But first, who are  _ you _ ?” Virgil demanded.

Sora first talked to the girl in the yellow dress sitting on the railing.

**“What’s most important to you?”**

  * **Being number one.**


  * Friendship.


  * My prize possessions.



“Friendship, of course!” Patton cried.

“Eh, my prize possessions,” Janus replied, readjusting his hat.

“Being number one, certainly,” Logan stated. All three of them eyed one another, Janus humorously, Patton appalled.

“Basically, these questions just affect your leveling up pace. The first options level you up quicker for the first 50 levels, then slower. The third options level you up slower for the first 50 levels, and then faster. The middle options level the player up consistently throughout the game,” Roman explained.

“Do you have a preference?” Virgil asked. Roman shrugged. “Then pick the middle option.”

“Friendship is always the correct answer,” Patton agreed. Janus rolled his eyes.

**“Is friendship such a big deal?”**

“YES!” Patton exclaimed.

“For Sora, at least, it is.” Roman moved Sora over to talk to the man holding the ball.

**“What do you want outta life?”**

  * **To see rare sights.**


  * To broaden my horizons.


  * To be strong.



“To be strong,” Virgil mumbled.

“To broaden my horizons,” Logan stated.

“To see rare sights!” Roman exclaimed. “... But, I will select the middle option, as requested.”

Sora then went to the final character, a younger boy.

**“What are you so afraid of?”**

  * **Getting old.**


  * Being different.


  * Being indecisive.



“Oof, being indecisive is basically our lives in a nutshell,” Roman joked.

“Being different used to be our greatest fear,” Virgil murmured.

Janus hummed. “Yes; however, getting old is the one fear that never goes away.”

Virgil sighed. “Ain’t that right.”

**Your adventure begins at midday.**

**Keep a steady pace and you’ll come through fine.**

“Sounds good!”

**The day you will open the door is both far off and very near.**

“That... doesn’t make any sense.” Logan furrowed his brow in deep thought.

“A piece of advice, don’t think too hard over this game. Trying to understand the story is like trying to understand Remus’s mind,” Roman warned.

“Impossible!” Remus laughed.

  
  


[ ](https://ibb.co/p3rZHCN)

The screen turned white and suddenly Sora was standing on another princess platform, his surroundings being complete darkness. This time, the platform showed Aurora. Sora fought some Heartless, was introduced to the save point, and then watched as a spotlight seemed to move from the save point to the opposite end of the platform.

[ ](https://ibb.co/t2cRQNd)

  
  
  


[ ](https://ibb.co/cNKrXVJ)

Suddenly, a shimmering light appeared, and a ramp of multiple colors led the way to a platform higher up in the air. Sora ran along it until he reached the platform, which represented Belle. He moved into the light, and that was when another mini-cutscene began.

“Ooh, one of my favorite quotes,” Roman said giddily.

[ ](https://ibb.co/ypZX5dc)

  
  
  


[ ](https://ibb.co/SXH9GfP)

**The closer you get to the light, the greater your shadow becomes.**

“That… is a powerful quote,” Logan admitted.

A chorus sound began in the background, making Patton and Virgil shudder. Sora turned back to see how long and tall his shadow had gotten.

[ ](https://ibb.co/djL64jV)

  
  


Suddenly, the shadow stepped forward into existence. Shock filled Sora’s face as he witnessed his shadow stand up to its full height, more than three times taller than him. It was a midnight shade of blue or black, with pointy shoes and snake-like tendrils for hair. Its eyes were bright yellow orbs glowing in the darkness. It didn’t resemble Sora at all anymore -- it had transfigured into a separate monster altogether.

“That’s creepy,” Virgil murmured, though his eyes were alight with intrigue.

[ ](https://ibb.co/M7w4Ls6)

  
  
  


[ ](https://ibb.co/CHJvH0C)

**But don’t be afraid.**

“I’m afraid!” Patton exclaimed.

**And don’t forget…**

[ ](https://ibb.co/YPD21mL)

  
  


Sora turned around and started running, but the ramp was gone and he nearly fell off the platform. He caught his balance and turned to face the imposing creature that loomed over him.

[ ](https://ibb.co/1f7LmpF)

  
  


With no other option, he assumed a fighting stance with his sword, and the game transitioned into a fight scene. Roman attacked the creature’s hands mercilessly.

“Why are you doing that?” Virgil asked. “Can’t you hit him anywhere else?”

“Nope. Just the hands,” Roman answered, his eyes glued to the screen.

“And that… takes him down?”

“Yep.”

Once the creature was defeated, a portal of darkness appeared on the platform below Sora’s body as he fell backwards. He slowly sunk into the portal.

  
  


[](https://ibb.co/n72M5KM)

**\-- But don’t be afraid.**

**You hold the mightiest weapon of all.**

“What weapon? His enormous shoes?” Virgil joked. Patton giggled.

**So don’t forget:**

Just then, Sora fully vanished into the darkness, and the screen faded to black.

**You are the one who will open the door.**

“... Okay, but we kinda got that earlier on the island,” Patton said with an awkward smile.

“That was a lot of build-up for a line we already knew.”

“Okay, okay, but you gotta admit, it has style!” Roman argued. Everyone shrugged in response. Roman visibly deflated.

“Aww, kiddo, I  _ am  _ enjoying this so far. So don’t worry!” Roman and Patton shared a smile.

The scene transitioned to a bright blue sky, with the sounds of nature coming from the game system. Roman cleared his throat. “Welcome, everyone, to Destiny Islands!”


End file.
